Selling an HDB: Do I Really Need a Property Agent?

In one word no, you do not need a property agent to sell your HDB property, but whether or not you should use one is a completely different matter. The answer to that depends mainly on your own situation, your experience, how comfortable you are in doing the work that would otherwise be carried out by an property agent, and how eager you are for a quick sale. Here we look what you need to consider before attempting to sell your HDB flat yourself.

Selling an HDB: Do I really need a Property Agent?

Valuing your Property

If you elect to use an property agent, once you have found one you are comfortable with, the only other decision you need to make in the process is whether or not to agree to any offers he or she comes to you with. Going alone means just that. Basically everything has to come from you. The first of these is just how much your flat is likely to reach on the market. The HDB has a handy calculator on its website giving you details of similar properties for sale in your vicinity.

Letting People Know

One of the hardest parts of going alone, and the part which is almost certainly going to cost you money if you are to do it well, is letting the world know your flat is for sale. It can be the best property on the island at a jaw droppingly low price, but if no one knows about it, you will not get a sale. This is undoubtedly a huge advantage that estate agents have, as they don’t just have the ability and means to advertise their properties in a way they know works, they also are putting them in places where people are most likely to look.

There are online property portals where you can advertise your own flat of course, but more often than not, in order to advertise on them you will need to open a paid account, which generally speaking is not value for money when just advertising one property.

Negotiation

If advertising is the most expensive part of going it alone, then negotiating with buyers is the part people find the most uncomfortable. Negotiation is a skill, and is not something that most people are comfortable doing, especially when it comes to something which will have such a profound effect on their life. Additionally, if you are in discussions with a skilled negotiator, you will undoubtedly be at a disadvantage.

Paperwork

The documentation involved with selling your flat, from the start of the process right until you have completed is another area which needs to be done correctly, or there will be consequences, be those time, financial or even in the worst-case scenarios, the cancellation of any sale. If the other party is also not engaging an agent, the potential for things to go wrong increases. Don’t forget, that while this is going on, you could well be in the situation of trying to buy a property as well.

Going alone and selling your HDB flat yourself certainly can be done, but you do need to be aware of the process before you begin, and it is a lot trickier than buying a flat without an agent. The HDB has a FAQ section on its website, and even has a helpline if you are really stuck. And don’t forget, if you try it and for whatever reason it just is not working out for you, you can always simply hire an agent after all.

Are you aware that you do not need to pay for any professional (commission) fee if you purchase new launch condo via a property agent? Below are some new launches currently in the market now.